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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to grass this colleague up?...sorry, long!

107 replies

Whatafuzzfoot · 02/04/2012 14:46

ok, so I started a new job 8 weeks ago today and another new guy started about 2 days after me.
Working hours for both of us were stated as 9-5.30.
It is a very small office (9 of us including me and said guy, but only 5 of us work together in the upstairs office)
It's a very relaxed laid back working environment. 2 bosses that share the business equally. I report into one of the bosses, he reports into the other (2 separate areas of the business)
Both bosses are mostly out of the office at meetings or working from home so we are mainly left to get on by ourselves.
There should be no issues with this as we both have plenty of work to get on with, know what we are doing etc and we could call our bosses if we needed anything.
The first few days was fine, but 2 weeks in he started taking the piss a bit.
He doesnt drive so his wife has to drop him off and pick him up, but they live 5 mins drive from the office.
Every day he slopes in at 9.10-9.20 and calls his wife to pick him up anytime between 5-5.30
He also doesnt have a mobile phone so uses the office phone several times a day to call his wife/family/book weekend activities etc (His wife also calls the office to speak to him at least twice a day)
He smokes quite alot and goes out for a cigarette break several times a day, roughly one fag break every 1.5 hours (not sure if that's normal as I have never smoked so dont know what is considered acceptable!)
He sits next to me so i can see exactly what he's doing on his screen all the time - and 9 times out of 10 he is on facebook, looking through pictures or writing private messages to people.
using FB in office hours is not exactly frowned upon though, as we do a lot of business through it, and my role genuinely requires me to be on it a fair bit. (As well as MN Grin )
However, he works for a different part of the business, (our sister company I suppose you would call it) and there is no reason to be on FB at all for his role.

The other person in our upstairs office has noticed this too, but she already had a bust up about him stealing her sales (they are both commission based) so I think she is reluctant to say anything for fear of making things any more awkward

When his boss is in, he does his job (basically calling companies from our database and trying to sell things over the phone) but because his computer is turned the other way, I can see he is still on FB as he knows his boss can't see

So, what I'm asking really is AIBU to 'grass' this guy in?
I know it's not really my place and its not that I'm pissed off that I am genuinely working and arriving and leaving on time, its more that I'm angry that he is taking the piss out of this small family run business that the 2 bosses have worked hard to build from scratch.

So, should I say something? I don't want to come across a snitch or make my boss think I'm a twat but he's winding me up big style with his piss taking
TIA

OP posts:
WeShouldOpenABar · 02/04/2012 15:44

I had a similar situation where the person in question ended up being fired , I ignored it as long as it didnt affect my work, when it did I would be clear work was late because I was waiting for so and so and i could see no reason for the delay, when said enough times the point was obvious.

Why not ask if flexi time is an option , maybe it is and he is availing of it in which case you can stop clock watching and maybe take advantage of it yourself, if not they might want to know why you thought it was a possibility?

Original poster
Whatafuzzfoot · 02/04/2012 15:47

Scuzy - read the comment properly -
Greythorne: Not sure what you mean by 'I would be appalled if someone on my team grassed one ofntheir colleagues up in the way you are suggesting.

I have asked in the title AIBU to grass this colleague up?
I have asked should I make this situation known to the boss.
Greythorne has said she would be appalled if I did so in the way I am suggesting.
What way have i suggested I am planning to do this?

I have asked if i should, not detailed how I am sneakily planning to go about it, which is what Greythorne has implied.

Also, FWIW - I have never made a personal call or been 5 mins late from lunch as I eat lunch at my desk in front of my computer.
I cant say I've never been on MN or FB during working hours, because as I said, my job does genuinely involve using both of them for research.
And ebbandflows comment is not reasonable, IMO - its very presumptuous of me being a complete hypocrite!

OP posts:
Greythorne · 02/04/2012 15:49

I meant as a manager, if someone I was managing came to me and grassed up someone else on my team, I would be appalled, based on, it is none of their business! Leave me to manage my team, based on results, expecations, targets.

If this guy is truly as much of a slacker as you suggest, why on earth do you think time will not out him?

scuzy · 02/04/2012 15:49

well if your the perfect employee and you know he is taking the mick go for it. grass him up. hopefully he will lose his job (assuming thats what you want) and you will be employee of the month!

as someone said unless it is affecting your work directly why bother?

Greythorne · 02/04/2012 15:51

In the way you are suggesting.......just by spying on his pc screen, listening in to when he asks his wife to come and collect him, lots of small, petty details that really do not put you on a good light.

Conversely, if you said, wevare working ona project together and he consistently misses agreed deadlines which impacts my work, that would be very different!

scuzy · 02/04/2012 15:53

surely all this watching of your colleague takes away from your own work time. just let it go. yeah its annoying but have some faith in your bosses that it will come to light. concentrate on yourself not your colleague.

and on a different spin i know in my work place that there are young people who can fly through work that takes me all day and can multi task no end and still have time for a browse, so maybe depsite his few mins here and there and FB time his boss is delighted with his results!!

QOD · 02/04/2012 15:53

I hate skivvers

scuzy · 02/04/2012 15:54

maybe they are aware but dont sweat the small stuff as he is bringing in sales ... maybe more than you.

garlicbutter · 02/04/2012 15:54

Hmmm. Seeing Facebook open on his screen means nothing; he could just be leaving it open especially if his wife/friends habitually use it for messaging.

The time thing could be different for different roles. If his pay is nearly all commission, it's basically up to him how much effort to put in and therefore earn. You would need to find out from him, or somebody in the same role, whether his hours are less rigid than yours.

Stealing sales is unforgiveable imo. You could probably work with your friend to ensure that it becomes obvious if he's taking credit where it's not due.

Summary: I think you need to be more sure of your facts before dobbing him in.

HillyWallaby · 02/04/2012 15:56

I have owrked with two people like this in the past so I know it's infuriating, but to be honest I don't think it made a blind bit of difference. I don't think you can do yourself any favours by getting over-involved. Bosses notice more than you think. Keep your head down and your own own nose clean and make yourself indispensible and his weaknesses/laziness will show soon enough. Listen to what Proudnscary says.

LondonKitty · 02/04/2012 16:09

Yeah, I agree managers notice more than you might imagine. It is in their best interest after all, not yours. Leave it. Worst case for you, they tell you he is doing brilliantly and wonder why you are so interested in his every move. Best case, I think, you raise something they already suspect. Is it worth a very awkward conversation to bring something to a head a little sooner?

chewchewmeaw · 02/04/2012 16:11

I hate little busy bodies looking for approval from the boss. Mind your own business and get on with your work. You always get one in an office. You have hardly been there for a while and your beak is already in. Relax.

hotxbuns · 02/04/2012 16:17

i wouldn't say anything. I also work in a small team and one member of that team was completely unproductive, on FB a lot, not keeping good time and generally being a lazy so and so. Myself and some colleagues brought this to the attention of the managers as we were so fed up with it. She is now accusing us of bullying her which is completley untrue. Wish we hadn't said anything now. Seems like these sort of people always get away with it so just keep doing what you are meant to be doing and try to ignore him. I would.

McFluffster · 02/04/2012 16:21

Must be annoying but concentrate on your own work, you aren't his boss and if his actual boss was paying more attention he wouldn't be able to get away with it. Saying something will just make you look bad unfortunately.

alemci · 02/04/2012 16:44

I would leave it TBH but could you chat to someone else who is neutral and see if they have noticed. I am sure he will be found out by your bosses without you saying anything.

It may make it arkward for you then, if you want to make a personal call or look at a non work website for a few minutes. Keep your head down.

alemci · 02/04/2012 16:47

also perhaps you need to take a lunch break away from the computer. It is not good for you to be there all the time. Go for a walk or something. You sound too sanctimonious for your own good. sorry, that may sound a bit harsh.

Griblet · 02/04/2012 16:47

Agree it must be annoying but thats all it would be to me, an annoyance.

IMO you havent been there long enough to be embedded in the business and know how it works, the people, management style etc. You never know how things pan out, he could somehow find out it was you who snitched, be a great worker anyway and be your manager one day, which could be awkward to say the least.

If its sales etc then believe me, if hes crap he will be found out. On the other hand he might be absolutely shit hot and if so companies can forgive lateness and a bit of shirking if the person brings results in.

Id leave it, its not affecting you apart from being annoying. If you insist on doing it then first ask yourself if when you MN for 'research' do you really not have a peak at other stuff? Or in other words people in glass houses etc

GinSlinger · 02/04/2012 16:52

unless it affects you directly then just keep out of it. Nothing to do with you.

Griblet · 02/04/2012 16:52

OK, for the first time ever I have searched on previous posts by an OP, only because you did seem so outraged at the suggestion that you would use MN for anything other than research.

It does seem that you are indeed in that glass house OP.

suburbophobe · 02/04/2012 17:00

Haven't read all the replies...

But no, I would not snitch/grass him up.

It would only make you look bad (and things have a funny way of hitting you back in the face..if only cos he's probably a toxic kind of person).

He will get his comuppance (sp?) soon enough.

blubberyboo · 02/04/2012 17:06

the only time you should make an issue of it is if it directly impacts on your workload ie if he is leaving all the work to you and then stealing credit for your sales

you have said this is not the case as you are in a diff dept..therefore i think leave well alone. if there is a probationery period things like facebook may well already be monitored. he might have come to a private arrangement with the boss to have a flexible start time than the contract states due to family commitments

some managers would rather have a staff member who exceeds sales but is a little late everyday, than one who is always on time but doesn't meet targets.

you should just concentrate on making sure your work excels his to get you noticed for the right reasosn

Bumblequeen · 02/04/2012 17:14

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

FatimaLovesBread · 02/04/2012 17:15

griblet not sure that two post during potential work hours could be classed as skiving as much as the colleague is.

I probably wouldn't say anything but would inwardly seeth

Bumblequeen · 02/04/2012 17:16

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

TrollopDollop · 02/04/2012 17:21

YANBU for considering it but I wouldn't if I were you. You are fairly new and have a reputation to build and depending on your bosses response may mean you are labelled as a trouble causing snitch or someone trying to be helpful. I would keep quiet as he will be discovered - the commission figures will speak for themselves. Eventually.